I splayed out the keys in my palms, looking at each of them and trying to decide which to try first. I opted for a large bronze one. It didn’t fit. Then a thinner black one. Still no luck. I tried four more keys before finally arriving at the right one. I breathed a sigh of relief as the lock clicked open. I hurried though the door and locked it behind me from the inside.

The smell of human blood was intoxicating on this side of the door. Fumbling for the container of River’s blood in my pocket, I pulled it out and opened the lid. I inhaled its bitter scent, trying to calm my nerves. Then, stirring the liquid around, I put the container to my lips and tipped some blood onto my tongue. I closed the lid again and returned the container to my pocket.

Holding my nose and keeping the disgusting blood on my tongue, I hurried forward into the depths of the prison. I headed first for Hassan’s cell, since it was on the way to Lalia’s. Looking through the window, I saw that he was huddled in a corner, knees drawn up to his chest, his head buried in his hands.

I spread out the keys in my palms again and looked at them. These cells would have to share a common key. There were just too many in this prison.

It took me ten keys before Hassan’s cell door clicked open. Hassan gazed up at me, stupefied. Then he rushed toward me. I shot away from him, backing up against the opposite wall.

Breathing deeply, I hissed, “Keep your distance from me!” I took another sip from River’s blood, then looked back at him. “I’m here to help you. But I’m also a risk to you. Wait here in your cell while I fetch River’s sister. I’ll knock on the door when it’s time to come out. Understand?”

He looked bewildered, but nodded.

Then I darted off. Although River’s blood in my mouth was helping to overwhelm the scent of human blood surrounding me, just the sight of a human so close to me was enough to ignite my bloodlust. I dreaded arriving outside Lalia’s cell. Her young flesh would be so tender to sink my fangs into, her blood so pure and sweet…

My hands shaking slightly, I opened the container of River’s blood again and took another swig. I’d consumed half of it already. I had to pace myself. If we got held up for some reason and I ran out of River’s blood… That was a scenario I didn’t want to think about.

I tried using the same key that I had used for Hassan’s cell for Lalia’s, and it worked. The door swung open, and Lalia and the older girl who was with her looked toward me in shock. Then relief washed over their faces and they rushed toward me just as Hassan had done. I leapt back down the prison corridor.

“Where’s my sister?” the little girl asked.

“I’ll take you to her,” I whispered, my voice strained as I tried not to tempt myself by looking at her. “Just follow me, okay? You can come too,” I added, addressing the older girl.

Careful to keep at least ten feet between us, I led the two girls through the winding network of cells, urging them to hurry up every now and then. It was frustrating that I couldn’t just pick them up and carry them both myself. The other girl ended up carrying Lalia on her back, which made things a little faster.

Arriving at Hassan’s cell again, I was glad to see that he was waiting inside his room and opened it only when I knocked. He looked at me, and then at the two girls. I backed away again, now with full access to three humans.

I lengthened the distance between them and me even more, and continued traveling back toward the exit. We reached the stairs and I opened the door again before we hurried into the small room. Still maintaining as much distance from them as possible, I instructed them to huddle in one corner as I fumbled with the keys and locked the door once more. River’s taste was beginning to fade from my mouth again. I took another swig from the container. Now I barely had one full mouthful left.

I cursed myself. I should have thought to take more blood from her.

We had to move fast.

As we stepped outside, I had to hope that we wouldn’t bump into anyone on our way back to my apartment—and that nobody would notice three humans were missing from their cells before the hunt tonight. There were so many humans down in that prison, my hope didn’t seem too unreasonable.

There was no way that I was going to get into the same elevator with them, so I called two elevators to the ground floor simultaneously. I stepped into one of them while they bundled into the other. I instructed them which floor number to press, and then we ascended. We arrived on the right floor at the same time. The doors slid open. I rushed out before they could and, running up ahead of them, ordered them to follow me. Hassan picked up Lalia and carried her on his back as they raced after me, trying to keep up with my speed. Rushing to the door of my apartment, I opened it and then ran down the hallway. I waited in the doorway of my bedroom for them to arrive.

“Shut the door behind you,” I whispered as they entered.

Hassan did so. Then all three eyes fixed on me. Their faces were deathly pale and sweaty with fear.

“Now listen to me,” I said, looking at them sternly. “Take a left down the corridor, and at the very end you will see a sauna. Lock yourselves in there and don’t make a sound. Do you understand me?”

They all looked petrified, but nodded.

“Where’s my sister?” Lalia whispered, her eyes wide with fright.

“I’m going to get her.”

I waited until they hurried down the corridor and stepped into the sauna. When the door clicked shut, I approached it and, reaching into my pocket for the last of River’s blood, I poured it into my palm and then spread it up and down the wooden door, hoping it would help to mask the scent of hot human blood at least somewhat if a vampire passed by.